


How to stop a girl from LITERALLY falling

by bicalamity



Series: All HP WLW oneshots for easy organization [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Hermione Granger, Break Up, F/F, Hogwarts Seventh Year, Past Draco Malfoy/Pansy Parkinson, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:40:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29628540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bicalamity/pseuds/bicalamity
Summary: In which Hermione finds Pansy in a dangerous position after a breakupAlternately:  Hermione panicking over a pretty girl
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Pansy Parkinson
Series: All HP WLW oneshots for easy organization [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2176959
Comments: 2
Kudos: 45





	How to stop a girl from LITERALLY falling

Befriending Pansy Parkinson meant loads of things; she was no longer bullied, some of the Slytherins actually stood up for her, and she had to deal with Pansy’s rather melodramatic moments, such as today. She hadn’t shown up for rounds and so Hermione had gone looking when she got nervous only to see her smoking a cigarette while standing on the ledge of the Astronomy tower. She had a feeling that this might end badly.

“Hope you don’t plan on jumping.” Hermione called as she leaned against the entry to the tower, and she heard a wry chuckle and saw Pansy flick her still-lit cigarette out of her fingers and into the night air. She seemed to be watching it drop with some fascination. Well, Hermione supposed it was good that she cared enough to check _why_ Pansy was late for rounds. 

“What? No.” Pansy said, and she didn’t sound at all convincing. Hermione could relate, when she’d nearly failed an exam last year she very much wondered what that drop might feel like, but she hadn’t _gotten on the ledge_ . 

“Okay, so what are you up to then?” Hermione asked, and Pansy shrugged, giving her a tight smile as she wrapped her arms around herself and continued to pace.

“I just… like to feel alive.” Pansy said with a sigh and Hermione raised her eyebrow. That sounded exactly like a lie that someone who wanted to die would say to get people off her back, she wasn’t fooled.

“And standing on the edge of the Astronomy tower makes you feel alive?” Hermione asked, walking up to stand beside her, and Pansy sighed and nodded, carefully sitting down on the edge, letting her legs dangle in the night air. That worried Hermione, because one wrong move and she’d be having to carry a lifeless body to Madame Pomfrey.

“Mhm. The possibility that I could just plunge to my death… really reminds me that life is real.” Pansy said, and Hermione didn't like the sound of _that_ statement one bit. It sounded like if Pansy got disconnected enough she'd let herself fall, and considering Hermione had no clue what she was working with, that was a real possibility. 

“What happened?” She asked, and Pansy shrugged, eyes trained on the grounds below. Hermione really wished she’d just look up, it was making her more nervous by the minute.

“Nothing.” Pansy lied, and Hermione raised her eyebrow. Had she really thought she was getting off that easily?

“Don’t lie.” Hermione said. Even though their friendship was hardly established, Hermione could very easily tell when Pansy was lying to her, and the other witch knew that. She had a sixth sense about honesty.

“Draco dumped me.” Pansy admitted and this shocked Hermione. They’d seemed fine yesterday, or as fine as two teenagers being forced into marriage before they could even legally drink could be at least.

“What?” She asked, and Pansy nodded, chewing on her lip as she did. Clearly this wasn’t sitting well with her.

“Yeah. _Embarrassingly_ public.” Pansy sighed, looking up at the sky as she did. Oh, Hermione did not like her doing that while she was that close to falling out of the castle. But, she realized the only reason that Pansy was looking up was to keep from letting tears fall down her face, so she excused it. 

“Shit. I’m sorry.” Hermione said, and she truly was. Pansy laughed bitterly and shrugged, staring off into the night sky.

“You should be. He did it for _your_ best friend.” She admitted, and Hermione raised an eyebrow. This was somewhere where she might be able to lighten the mood because clearly she knew which friend, but the other option was just _so_ much more funny. 

“ _Ron_ ?” Hermione asked, and she was guessing that wasn’t the right answer from how Pansy threw her head back and laughed, which had been the desired effect. Of course she knew it was Harry, it had been obvious. 

“Okay, I know you’re not stupid but… damn. No. Potter.” Pansy sighed, and Hermione nodded as she reached over to rub Pansy’s shoulder softly, offering what little comfort she could. She wasn’t that well versed in breakups, beside hearing the aftermath of them through her curtains when her roommates when through one.

“Pansy I’m-.” She started, but the Slytherin shook her head before she could finish.

“It’s fine.” Pansy insisted, and Hermione gave her a pointed look. If it was fine she wouldn’t be up here.

“It’s not.” She said, and Pansy sighed and nodded.

“You’re right, but it will be, and I really don’t want to fucking talk about it.” Pansy said with a shaky breath, and she kicked her legs softly back and forth, her body moving with it. It made Hermione nervous, after all, they’d only _just_ became friends this year, someone could still possibly think that she shoved Pansy off the Astronomy tower, even if she’d never even think of doing that to someone. 

“Fine. We won’t talk about it. Just come down from there.” Hermione insisted, holding out her hand, but Pansy scoffed and shook her head, leaning a little more forward. Hermione could see what was going to happen before it did, but she couldn’t get the words out fast enough.

“Why? I’m perfectly- _AH!_ ” Pansy screeched, and suddenly the world was moving in slow motion as Pansy began to fall forward. Exactly like Hermione had been afraid of. Luckily, Hermione didn’t seem to be moving as slow as she reached out and wrapped her arms tight around Pansy’s waist and pulled, causing them both to stumble back on the ground, falling flat. Pansy twisted in her arms so she was clinging tightly to the Gryffindor, damn near hyperventilating as she tried to sit them up. It wasn’t easy to calm someone down when they were laying on top of you, Hermione realized. 

“I’ve got you! Hey. Hey. I’ve got you.” Hermione whispered as she sat down, letting her legs splay out in front of her as she held the trembling Slytherin tight. For a moment she wondered if maybe she should let go, but that was before she became painfully aware of Pansy’s fingers digging into her shoulder blades, and her face tucked into the crook of her neck. Pansy Parkinson was actually _scared_ . 

“Fuck that was… I… I didn’t actually _mean_ to-.” Hermione nodded and shushed her quickly. That had to have been even more terrifying for the person who almost fell. 

“I know. But you’re alright, okay?” Hermione said softly, and for a moment they were silent, just sitting there, clinging to each other, and then Pansy relaxed and let out a heavy sigh against Hermione’s sweater.

“I’m nothing without him.” She mumbled and Hermione shook her head. That just wasn’t true.

“That’s bullshit.” Hermione insisted, and Pansy shrugged and pulled back, giving her a look as she did.

“Is it? Everyone just knows me as ‘Draco’s girlfriend.’ Never really bothered to make a personality outside of that. Really paying for that now.” Pansy groaned, and Hermione chuckled. She had a point, there wasn’t much people really knew about Pansy outside of that, but she knew that there was so much more to her. She’d had to learn that over the last couple of weeks.

“Well, you’re smart-.” Pansy shook her head.

“I was someone’s beard and didn’t even realize it.” Pansy said, her voice a deadpan and Hermione grimaced. She had a point there.

“Okay… so you’re… rich?” Hermione asked and Pansy leaned back again to raise an eyebrow. Alright, money is off the table.

“I can’t just steal _his_ personality, Granger.” Pansy reminded her, and Hermione tried not to laugh. She was right to say it, but it felt wrong to be joking over something so serious. Pansy felt like she was no one without some random boy, that wasn’t healthy at all. 

"You’re pretty.” Hermione said, and Pansy snorted and shook her head against Hermione’s neck.

“Funny.” She mumbled and Hermione rolled her eyes. It wasn’t like Pansy to be humble, so she was probably being serious. A breakup could affect someone in many ways, Hermione knew this, and maybe her way was a sudden lack of her self esteem.

“No. I’m serious. You are pretty.” Hermione insisted, and Pansy pulled back from her shoulder and chuckled, wiping her eyes.

“Hermione, just because we’re friends now-.” She cut her off and shook her head. Was Pansy _seriously_ this fucking blind? Had Draco ruined her self esteem that much overnight? 

“I’m not just being nice, you’re genuinely pretty… I’ve never seen a blemish on your face in my life, you’ve got killer eyes, and even if your smile is almost _never_ kind, it’s still damn near perfect.” 

“You really think so?” Pansy asked, and Hermione nodded quickly. She couldn’t lie about that even if she tried.

“I do.” She admitted, and Pansy let out quiet chuckle and seemed to cling even closer as she took a deep breath.

“Merlin, sometimes I wish I could just date you.” Pansy murmured against her shoulder, and Hermione swallowed against a dry throat, suddenly very happy that Pansy couldn’t see her face.

“Really?” Hermione asked, not loving how her voice almost squeaked up in surprise at the end of the sentence. Pansy nodded. Oh.

“Mhm. It’d be more fun. Less work. Less of an obligation, but obviously that can’t happen.” Pansy sighed, and Hermione cleared her throat. Now or never, she supposed… and she really wished she could just pick never.

“Why?” She asked and Pansy shrugged.

“Because you’re not gay.” Pansy said with a snort, and Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat in that moment. That really did present the perfect opening for her to just slide in the fact that she liked girls, right? Right. It would be a shame to waste it.

“Who said I wasn’t gay?” Hermione asked in a moment of boldness, but she felt Pansy stiffen on top of her and she knew it was a mistake. Pansy slowly pulled her face back and Hermione couldn’t bear to look at it, she knew there was going to be disgust there and she couldn’t handle the thought of it.

“... What?” Pansy finally asked and Hermione slid her off her lap, refusing still to meet her eyes. This was a terrible idea.

“I’ve gotta go…” Hermione stammered, rising quickly to her feet and turning towards the door, but she was held back by Pansy’s hand closing around her wrist. Oh this _so_ was not what she needed right now. 

“Hermione, wait-.” Pansy tried, but she pulled her hand away and kept walking swiftly towards the exit, only pausing for a moment.

“I’ll do the rounds alone tonight. I’m sorry about Draco, please stay away from the ledge and um… get to your dorm safe!” She said, still not looking behind her before she all but sprinted down the stairs, eager to forget that this ever happened.


End file.
